Helmut Himpel
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Helmut Himpel (born September 14, 1907 in Schönau in the Black Forest ; † May 13, 1943 in Berlin-Plötzensee ) was a dentist and resistance fighter in the Third Reich . He belonged to the circle of the Red Chapel .
Life
Helmut Himpel studied electrical engineering at the University of Karlsruhe and in 1926 became a member of the Germania fraternity there (now Teutonia ). He then studied dentistry in Freiburg and Munich . During his studies, Himpel met his future fiancée Maria Terwiel . However, they were not allowed to marry because he was Protestant and she was " half-Jewish ". After Himpel's doctorate , both moved to Berlin , where Himpel opened a dental practice around 1937. Himpel was successful as a dentist, for example, his patients included many members of the diplomatic corps , actors and artists, such as Heinz Rühmann .
During the Third Reich, Himpel treated Jewish patients secretly and free of charge . He also treated Jewish patients living far away who were unable to visit his doctor's office in their home. And he influenced the examinations of suitability for military service in order to spare conscripts from a frontline deployment.
Through the journalist John Graudenz , Himpel and his fiancée came into contact with Harro Schulze-Boysen's group , known as the Red Orchestra . Both took part in many of the group's activities, particularly the distribution of pamphlets and leaflets. For example, they contributed to the spread of the Galen sermon, which chalked up the murders of the sick disguised as euthanasia . This sermon led to Hitler the Action T4 stopped and other killings of the mentally ill.
Maria Terwiel and Helmut Himpel were instrumental in the distribution of the pamphlet The Concern for Germany's Future Goes Through the People , which reached a large number of personalities and all foreign correspondents. It was only after members of the Rote Kapelle were arrested that it was revealed that Himpel and Terwiel were involved in the spread of the script.
Himpel and his fiancée were arrested by the Gestapo and later executed , like many other members of the Red Orchestra .
Honors
On March 13, 2012 , stumbling blocks for Helmut Himpel and Maria Terwiel were laid in front of the former house in Berlin-Charlottenburg , Lietzenburger Straße 72 .
literature
- Hans Coppi , Jürgen Danyel and Johannes Tuchel (eds.): The Red Orchestra in the Resistance to National Socialism. Writings from the German Resistance Memorial Center ; Edition Hentrich: Berlin 1992; ISBN 3-89468-110-1
- Helge Dvorak: Biographical Lexicon of the German Burschenschaft. Volume I: Politicians. Volume 7: Supplement A – K. Winter, Heidelberg 2013, ISBN 978-3-8253-6050-4 , pp. 467-469.
- Karl Heinz Biernat and Luise Kraushaar : The Schulze-Boysen / Harnack organization in the anti-fascist struggle. Berlin 1970
- Georg Kirschner: Directory of members of the Karlsruhe Burschenschaft Teutonia 1966
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Himpel, Helmut |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Himpel, Hans Helmut |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German dentist and resistance fighter against National Socialism |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 14, 1907 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Schönau in the Black Forest |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 13, 1943 |
| Place of death | Berlin-Plötzensee |